Lok Wah’s Photo Studio
The year was 1985, and the construction of Lok Wah Estate was just all completed in the Kwun Tong district. The Housing Department, the shopping mall’s then landlord, was recruiting tenants and Tony Lee’s father won the bid for a shop on the second floor. And there began the story of Kam Hei Studio. It has now been in business for 36 years. Tony, who’s taken over the running of the studio from his father, shares his stories about the changes in Lok Wah over the years.
There’s an air of nostalgia in the studio – one can easily sense from the color and fonts used for the décor and on the plaque. The window display is filled with portraits of families and individuals through the years. They come in both black-and-white and colour, and symbolise how the studio has borne witness to the evolution of photography. They have also recorded the faces of the communities in Lok Wah.
Tony has in recent years taken over the business from his 90-year-old father. Having been helping at the studio after school since childhood, he was affectionately known as “Little Chubby” among the old neighbours. According to Lee, the 1980s and the 1990s were the golden age for colour film cameras, which use one-hour photo development as the selling point. “Back in those days, the price of a colour film developing machine can buy you an apartment in the nearby Amoy Gardens. We were all working non-stop all day. There were customers who came in to develop whole rolls of film. When they picked up the photos, they would stay in the shop to go through them one by one, and then discussed which were the best that they needed to print a few more.”
Watching Neighbors Grow and Go
Large families were common in the neighbourhood back then. Sometimes a mother would bring seven or eight of her children over to take pictures at the same time. Most families now have just one or two kids. And even though there are suggestions that population in public housing estates is aging, and that people tend to move out once they are more well off, the new blood just keep coming in and they are also more diversified. “There’ve always been new immigrants coming in. The difference is in their accents – in the past you can tell they’re also from around Guangdong, but now you hear all kinds of accents from north to south regions of Mainland China, and there’re also South Asian families. The important thing is we all treat each other like neighbours and with respect.”
The mass emigration wave from Hong Kong in the 1990s brought Kam Hei a lot of business. Back then air travel and online communications were not as common as today, so before departing, some people would bring their entire families of three generations over for pictures, which then become cherished items to the family.
But the photos that left the most lasting impression on Tony was of a couple who had practically watched him grow up – the occasion was their 50th wedding anniversary. Another one that has stayed in his memory was of an elderly neighbour walking with a cane who came in with the children. A little later the children returned to develop a large-size portrait as it turned out the elderly had passed away.
These days his major source of photo-taking business are student ID photos. And he takes joy in taking pictures for children making different faces. “Some proud mothers would share how their kids got into the schools of their dreams. There are also regular customers who come in with their children every other month so that they can record different stages of their childhood.”
Lok Wah into Check-in Hotspot
In recent years, the “Time Tunnel” at the rooftop of the Lok Wah (South) Estate carpark has become a check-in hotspot. Tony said some young people would take pictures around the tunnel and develop them at his shop. The more nostalgic ones even use film cameras. “Those who have bought the old-fashioned film cameras would sometimes come to me when the parts break down or if they are not familiar with the cameras functions,” he said.
Tony admits that there are now fewer people coming to develop photos. Yet the demand for photocopying is huge, which is why he has added a photocopying machine in the shop. “Customers are now used to sending the documents to me through WhatsApp and then pick up the copies after school or lunch. This is very efficient. Technology is constantly moving forward. The only way we can keep our business going is to adapt and adjust our services to cater for the changing demand of the communities around here.”
Receive updates in Messenger
Subscribe Now
Receive updates in Messenger
Feedback
Personal Information Collection Statement
This Statement is made by Link Asset Management Limited ("Link Asset Management") as manager of Link REIT and Link Properties Limited (collectively "Link", “we”, "our" or "us"), in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of the Laws of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ('the PDPO'). This Statement intends to notify you why your personal data is collected, how it will be used, to whom the personal data will be transferred and to whom data access requests are to be addressed.
Types of Personal Data Held
We hold four broad categories of personal data, namely customers' and tenants' personal data, business associates' personal data, employment-related personal data, website and social media users' personal data.
Collection - Why We Collect Your Data
From time to time, we may collect your personal data to provide our services to you and in an effort to improve your customer experience. You are not obliged to provide your personal data to us but if you do not, we may not be able to provide you with some of the information, materials, services and/or products of Link Asset Management and/or Link Properties Limited.
Provision of personal data (i.e. email address or similar personal data) to us is obligatory should you subscribe to “Channel 823” or any contents thereto.
If you are under the age of 18, you must ask your parent or guardian before providing any personal data to us.
Use - How Your Data May Be Used
The personal data you registered for subscribing to "Channel 823" (whether through our websites or through social media platforms) will be used for:
- disseminate the latest news and activities related to Link’s portfolios, latest development of Link, including but not limited to “Channel 823” or contents thereto;
- to provide information of events in relation to corporate social responsibility programs of Link such as (without limitation) Link Together Initiatives and similar sustainability/community engagement/charity initiatives organised or co-organised by Link at Link’s premises or on Link’s website or social media platforms;
- for handling enquiries and feedbacks for better services to you, tenants and shoppers who patronize Link premises or uses Link’s website or social media platforms;
- to provide services, activities or experiences under at Link’s premises or Link’s website / social media platforms and gauge popularity of the same
- for internal statistical and analysis purposes;
- transfer to the necessary parties identified in this PICS;
- making disclosure so required by law, regulation or court order of any jurisdiction and / or so request by any government, regulatory or law enforcement authority or administrative organization within or outside Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;
- for establishing legal claims or defences; and
- obtain legal advices and /or exercising, defending and / or protecting the rights or properties of Link, Link’s affiliates and contractors, agents and third party service providers including identifying, contracting or bringing legal actions against any persons who may be interfering with such rights or properties (whether intentionally or otherwise) and where any other third party may be harmed or property of any third party may be damaged by such interference
Use of Personal Data in Direct Marketing
We would like to use your email address or social media messengers for sending you "Channel 823" information or part thereof from time to time by way of direct marketing.
If you object to our use of your personal data for the relevant purposes as listed above, you can, at any time without charge, inform us via the “unsubscribe” function available in the emails or social media messengers of “Channel 823” updates or send an email to channel823@e.linkreit.com.
Transfer of Your Personal Data
Personal data held by us will be kept confidential, but we may disclose/transfer such data to the following parties (whether within or outside the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) for the purposes set out in this Statement:
- the entities comprising all the special purpose vehicles of Link REIT and the subsidiaries of Link Asset Management and/or Link Properties Limited in connection with the operation of our business and activities at Link premises / "Channel 823" or contents thereto;
- professional advisors, service providers or contractors of Link Asset Management and/or Link Properties Limited providing property management services, letting, licensing, social media services at Link premises / "Channel 823" or contents thereto;
- any agent, contractor or third party service provider who provides administrative, telecommunications, computer, payment, content, information or other marketing and promotional services to us in connection with the operation of our business and activities at or in relation to Link premises / "Channel 823" or contents thereto;
- any person under a duty of confidentiality to us or who has undertaken to keep your personal data confidential and use them in strict compliance with the requirements of the PDPO;
- any government, law enforcement authorities and administrative organisations and any person to whom we are under an obligation under law to make disclosure.
Security
We strive at all times to ensure that your personal data will be protected against unauthorized or accidental access, processing, erasure or other use. We have implemented appropriate physical, electronic and managerial measures to safeguard and secure your personal data.
Your personal data will be kept in the office of Link Asset Management and/or Link Properties Limited or by the service providers engaged by Link Asset Management and/or Link Properties Limited and is accessible only to our authorized employees and service providers.
Retention of Data
We will keep your personal data for a reasonable time to fulfill the purpose for which the data was collected or comply with the relevant rules, regulations and laws of Hong Kong. Personal data which is no longer required will be destroyed.
Data Access/Correction Requests
Under the PDPO. any individual has the right to request access to and correction of his or her personal data held by us. In accordance with the terms of the PDPO, Link Asset Management or Link Properties Limited has the right to charge a reasonable fee for the processing of request.
If you wish to access or correct your personal data in relations to "Channel 823" subscription held by us, please send your request to: channel823@e.linkreit.com.
Please read the below terms if you provide your personal data for the use of our services in Mainland China.
Cross-border data transfer
Since "Channel 823" is published by Link Asset Management in Hong Kong, transfer of your personal data to Hong Kong is necessary for us to send you "Channel 823" information or part thereof. During such cross-border data transfer and storage, we are committed to protecting the security of your personal data. If you object to our cross-border transfer of your personal data, we may not be able to provide you with the services for the relevant purposes listed above.
Other rights
Other than the rights to request access and correction, in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, you will also have the rights to copy, supplement and deletion of your personal data held by us.
To Change the scope of consent
We respect your right to know and right of decision on the processing of your personal data. You can change the scope of your consent to our processing of your personal data at any time, however this might affect your use of our services. If you wish to access, copy, correct, supplement or delete your personal data in relations to "Channel 823" subscription held by us or to change the scope of your consent, please send your request to: channel823@e.linkreit.com.
Language Versions
In case of discrepancies between the English and Chinese versions of this Statement, the English version shall apply and prevail.
NOTE: This Personal Information Collection Statement is subject to change and was last updated in July 2022.
© Copyright Link Asset Management Limited. All rights reserved
